Shelf extenders



y 1959 H. s. MEYERS 2,888,148

SHELF EXTENDERS Filed Nov. 21, 1955 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 l I i 40 I |-F-/3 [4 7 INVENTOR fiara/a 5. Meyer's y- Q mmiam ATTORNEY H. s. MEYERS SHELF EXTENDERS May 26, 1959 2 Shets-Sheet 2 Filed Nov. 21, 1955 m mm e M 5 M W g H ATTORNEY United States Patent SHELF EXTENDERS Harold S. Meyers, Minneapolis, Minn., assignor to Waldorf Paper Products Company, Ramsey County, Minn., a corporation of Minnesota Application November 21, 1955, Serial No. 547,953

8 Claims. (Cl. 211-153) This invention relates to an improvement in shelf extenders and deals particularly with an apparatus which is applied to a shelf in a store or shop to form a forward extension of the shelf.

Various types of devices have been employed for the advertising and display of merchandise. Merchandise which is to be featured in a special sale is often times placed in a special display rack or given prominence in some other similar manner. The present device is designed .to provide a support for mechandise which is being featured as a sale item at a particular time. The shelf extending device is placed upon the shelf and certain of the goods being displayed are then placed upon the shelf extender. As a result the goods being displayed project outwardly beyond any of the other goods on the shelf and accordingly are more readily visible than the remaining goods on the shelf.

' A feature of the present invention resides in the provision of a platform made of paperboard or similar material including a flat panel which is somewhat wider than the shelf to which it is to be attached. Side panels are foldably connected to opposite sides of the main panel to form a reinforcement for the panel. A front flap is also foldable out of the plane of the panel to serve as an additional reinforcement. The side panels are provided with notches into which the shelf may be inserted. As a result the panel rests partially upon the shelf and a portion of the panel projects forwardly from thef'shelf. When the portion of the panel overlying the shelf is covered with particles of merchandise, additional items may be'placed on the forward end of the panel and are supported in a position spaced forwardly from the front edge'of the shelf.

A feature of the present invention resides in the provision of a shelf extending device having flanges extending along three sides of the structure and in providing means'for locking these flanges together. By locking the side flanges to the front flanges, all of the flanges areheld-in right angular relation to the panel and accordingly provide a reinforcement for the panel.

A further feature of the present invention resides in the simplicity of construction and the low cost of the structure. In view of the fact that the shelf extender may be formed of a single piece of paperboard such as corrugated paperboard and the like, it is inexpensive to manufacture and produce. Furthermore the structures may be stored and shipped in flat folded condition so that a minimum of space is required for storage and shipment.

These and other objects and novel features of the invention will be more clearly and fully set forth in the following specification and claims.

In the drawings forming a part of the specification:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the shelf extender showing the general construction thereof.

Figure 2 is a diagrammatic view of the blank of which the shelf extender is formed.

2,888,148 Patented May 26, 1959 Figure 3 is a top plan view of the extender in flat folded condition.

Figure 4 is a cross sectional view through the shelf extender, the position of the section being indicated by the line 44 of Figure 1.

Figure 5 is a cross sectional view through the forward part of the shelf extender, the position of the section being indicated by the line 55 of Figure 4.

Figure 6 is a horizontal sectional view through the shelf extender, the position of the section being indicated by the line 66 of Figure 4.

The shelf extender is illustrated in general by the letter A. As indicated in Figure 2 of the drawings the shelf extender includes a shelf panel 10 which is foldably connected along parallel fold lines Hand 12 to side flange members 13 and 14 respectively. The flanges 13 and 14 are foldably connected along parallel fold lines 15 and 16 to sidewall panels 17 and 19 respectively. Each of the sidewalls 17 and 19 is provided with a foldably connected flap. The flap in the sidewall 17 is indicated by the numeral 20 while the flap in the sidewall 19 is indicated by the numeral 21. Each flap is generally rectangular in outline and the two flaps are connected to their respective sidewalls 17 and 19 by parallel fold lines 22 and 23. When these flaps 20 and 21 are folded out of the plane of the sidewalls to which they are attached, they provide generally rectangular notches in the sidewalls of proper thickness to accommodate the shelf B. The cut lines 24 and 25 which define the upper edges of the rectangular notches in the sidewalls are substantially flush with the under surface of the panel 10 when the structure is erected.

The panel 10 is foldably connected along a fold line 26 to a front panel 27. The fold line 26 extends at substantially right angles to the previously described fold lines 11 and 12. The fold line 26 may extend continuously across the front of the panel 10. However, in the particular form of construction illustrated an upwardly extending tab is provided integral with the front panel and extending above the fold line 26 in erected condition of the shelf extender. This tab which is designated by the numeral 30 is defined by a generally U shaped cut line 29 which has its ends terminating on the fold line 26, the cut line extending into the panel 10. Accordingly when the front panel 27 is folded downwardly from the panel 10, a tab 30 extends upwardly therefrom in the same plane.

A pair of locking flaps 31 and 32 are foldably connected to the forward ends of the sidewalls 17 and 19 along fold lines 33 and 34. The locking flaps 31 and 32 are designed to fold at right angles to the sidewalls to which they are attached and to fold forwardly of the front panel 27. Locking tabs 35 and 36 are foldably connected to the ends of the locking flaps 31 and32 along aligned fold lines 37 and 39 respectively. Notches 40 and 41 extend into the opposite edges of the locking flaps 31 and 32 in alignment with the fold lines 37 and 39.

A pair of slots 42 and 43 are provided in parallel relation near opposite ends of the front panel 27. These slots are properly positioned to accommodate the locking tabs 35 and 36. The notches 40 and 41 form locking notches which prevent the tabs from pulling out of the slots 42 and 43.

In the operation of the shelf extender, the side panels 17 and 19 are folded along the fold lines 15 and 16 respectively so as to underlie the flanges 13 and 14 and the bottom panel 10. The flanges 13 and 14 are then stitched or glued to the portions of the side panels 17 and 19 in which they are in surface contact. In Figure 3 of the drawings I disclose a series of stitches 45 securing the flange 13 to the side panel 17 and a similar series of stitches 46 folding the flange 14 to the side panel 19. When this has been done the shelf extender is in readiness for being shipped or stored.

When the shelf extender is to be used the flanges 13 and 14 are folded upwardly from the panel 10, the sides 17 and 19 extending below the level of the panel. The front panel 27 is folded down into right angular relation to the panel 10. The locking flaps 31 and 32 are next folded to overlie the end portions of the front panel 27 and the locking tabs 35 and 36 are inserted into the slots 42 and 43 respectively. When the locking tabs are in place, they hold the side panels in right angular relation to the front panel and hold the various wall panels in right angular relation to the bottom panel or shelf panel 10.

The flaps 20 and 21 are next folded inwardly into right angular relation to the sidewalls 17 and 19 to which they are secured. This provides generally rectangular notches in the sidewalls communicating with the rear edges of these sidewalls. The shelf extender may then be applied to the shelf by inserting the shelf into the notches formed as just described, the panel resting upon the upper surface of the shelf.

If the shelf extender is to support a series of packages of a product such as for example cake flour or the like the bottom panel is formed of a size to snugly accommodate a series of such packages. Certain packages of the product are placed upon the rear portion of the panel 10 so as to hold this panel engaged upon the shelf. Thereupon additional packages may be placed upon the panel 10 until the forward packages extend substantially flush with the forward end of the panel 10. When in this position the front packages of the series are well forward of the front edge of the supporting shelf so that the packages are readily visible from virtually any direction. When packages are displayed in this manner they are immediately visible and call attention to themselves in a spectacular manner.

In accordance with the patent statutes, I have described the principles of construction and operation of my shelf extender, and while I have endeavored to set forth the best advantages thereof, I desire to have it understood that obvious changes may be made within the scope of the following claims without departing from the spirit of my invention.

I claim:

1. A shelf extender including a base panel, a pair of side flanges foldably connected to said panel and extending upwardly and substantially at right angles thereto, a pair of side panels foldably connected to the upper edges of said side flanges and secured to said side flanges in substantially surface contact, and slots in said side panels extending a portion of the length thereof from an edge thereof, the upper edges of said slots extending substantially flush with the under surface of said base panel, said side panels extending substantially below the level of said base panel.

2. The construction'described in claim 1 and including a panel foldably connected to an edge of said base panel between said side flanges to extend downwardly therefrom. 1

3. A shelf extender including a base panel, side flanges foldably connected to said base panel and extending upwardly therefrom, a pair of side wall panels foldably connected to the upper edges of said side flanges and extending downwardly therefrom at substantially right angles to said base panel, a pair of slots in said side wall panels, said slots having their upper edges substantially flush with the under surface of said base panel, a front panel foldably connected to an edge of said base panel between said side wall panels and extending downwardly from said base panel, and means connecting said side wall panels and said front wall panels to hold the same in right angular relation.

4. The construction described in claim 3 and in which said last named means comprises locking flaps.

5. A shelf extender including a base panel, a pair of side flanges foldably connected to opposite sides of said base panel, a pair of side wall panels foldably connected to said side flanges and secured in substantially surface contact therewith, a pair of slots in said side wall panels extending inwardly in opposed relation from an edge thereof and adapted to accommodate a shelf therein, a panel foldably connected to an edge of said base panel between said side wall panels, said side wall flanges extending upwardly at right angles to said base panel and said front panel extending downwardly at substantially. right angles to said base panel, and locking flap means on said side wall panels engaged with said front wall panel to hold the same in right angular relation.

6. The construction described in claim 5 and including flaps foldably connected to an edge of said slots and foldable into right angular relation with side wall panels.

7. A shelf extender including a base panel, side flanges foldably connected to opposite sides of said base panel and foldable from the plane of the base panel to right angular relation thereto, side wall panels foldably connected to the edges of said side flanges opposite the edges connected to said base panel, said side wall panels being secured in surface contact with said side flanges and being foldable from a position underlying said base panel to a position extending below said base panel when said side flanges are folded upwardly therefrom, said side wall panels having slots extending thereinto from an edge thereof, an edge of each slot being substantially flush with the under surface of said base panel when said side walls are angularly related to said base panel.

8. The structure of claim 7 and including a supplemental panel foldably connected to an edge of said base panel and foldable into right angular relation therewith and cooperable means on said side walls and on said supplemental panel engageable when said side wall panels and supplemental panel are in right angular relation to said base panel to hold the side wall panels and Supplemental panel in right angular relation.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,360,180 Congdon Nov. 23, 1920 1,521,902 Mott Jan. 6, 1925 1,593,954 Rosenkranz July 27, 1926 2,043,791 Barron June 9, 1936 2,389,522 Leppla Nov. 20, 1945 2,597,731 Hoy May 20, 1952 2,659,917 Drum Nov. 24, 1953 2,703,693 Cropanese Mar. 8, 1955 

